Formula 1 gossip: Alonso, Piquet, Rosberg, Hamilton, Sirotkin, Haas

Monday, 22 January

Alonso won the world drivers’ title in 2005 and 2006

Fernando Alonso could have won more than his two world drivers’ titles but “there is always a mess wherever he is” as the McLaren racer “generates a lot of problems”, according to former champion Nelson Piquet. (theCheckeredFlag.co.uk via La Sexta)

The retired Nico Rosberg says Lewis Hamilton “is a really good guy with some good values” and that “one day we can get back to getting on better” after the pair fell out during their final season together as Mercedes team-mates in 2016. (Planet F1)

Sergey Sirotkin was chosen by Williams to replace Felipe Massa after a test in which the Russian “made no mistakes”, according to the team’s chief technical officer Paddy Lowe. (F1i.com)

Haas team principal Gunther Steiner says the American outfit probably hurt itself last season by switching focus to its 2018 car too soon. (Autopsort)